INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- On July 16, in a back-and-forth matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Las Vegas Summer League, Collin Sexton dribbled to the left wing, used a screen from his teammate and hoisted a long-range jumper -- a weak point of his game according to many -- that splashed through the net and tied the game.

It was only Summer League. Nothing close to the NBA Finals, let alone a regular season game.

Still, in that moment, it wasn't just Sexton's jersey number that brought about thoughts of Kyrie Irving. It was the familiar end-of-game heroics, the courage to take the shot and self-belief to drain it -- all of which helped define the Cavaliers former All-Star.

"I'm not following in nobody's footsteps. I'm going to come in and play my style of game," Sexton said when asked about wearing Irving's old digit. "Kyrie did wear No. 2. Mo Williams did wear No. 2 also."

Yeah, well, the latter isn't the point guard fans will be thinking about when Sexton is racing up and down the court, trying to lead the team back to prominence in the aftermath of LeBron James' departure.

The comparisons to Irving are unavoidable. After all, Sexton was brought to Cleveland using the Brooklyn Nets' first-round pick -- the crown jewel of the Irving blockbuster with the Celtics more than a year ago. That franchise-altering trade was one of the moments that eventually led to James going to Los Angeles and a yearlong scramble to fix the point guard position.

And if Summer League was any preview, Sexton shares the same steely nerve and aggressive mindset that helped turn Irving into a late-game killer.

"I see those similarities because he's not afraid of the moment and Kyrie was the same way," head coach Tyronn Lue said. "He's not afraid of the big moment. You saw Collin in college last year, even in Summer League he made the big three to tie it up and send it to overtime. He's not afraid of the big moment."

There are plenty of differences between the two as well. As Lue explained, Sexton uses his speed and quickness to get to where he wants. His jumper is still a work in progress. As for Irving, he has no offensive weaknesses, able to score whenever he wants, against any defender because of his slick handle and polished repertoire.

Back in 2011, when the franchise was still reeling and James was thriving with his new team in Miami, the Cavs made Irving the first pick of the draft. The offensive dynamo represented so much more than that. He was the first building block, the player asked to pull the Cavaliers from the rubble.

This time, it's Sexton.

"I don't think there's any expectations," Lue said. "His toughness, tenacity, the way he gets to the basket and gets to the free-throw line and can score the basketball and make guys better. I just think the biggest thing for him is his pace, speed and intensity. That's something that we haven't had in the past. Good to see that. Just have to play that pace for the whole 48 minutes.

"Today, I thought he played like a veteran. Like he's been here before and that's what we need from him."

Sexton is 19, a wide-eyed teenager on a team with champions and battle-tested veterans. He can be brought along slowly, with Kevin Love, George Hill and others taking pressure off him early.

That's a much different environment than the one Irving entered during his rookie season.

"My first year, when me and Kyrie first came to the team, if you looked at the roster, the kind of guys that were borderline still pros," Tristan Thompson said. "And the team was kind of in the still-building mode with me and Kyrie. And then having Andy (Varejao) as our leader or having Anthony Parker as our leader to kind of show us, and Antwan Jamison to kind of show us what it takes to be pros, and then let them off and let those guys go and retire.

"So, now it's different. We still have guys that are still playing at a high level, better players overall, and this is a team that wants to be competitive and wants to fight for a playoff spot. For Collin, it's a little different, he's going to have more help compared to what me and Kyrie had."

On the first day of camp, Sexton leaned on Hill, the NBA veteran who will serve as a mentor. It was this time last year when Hill was in that same role thousands of miles away. He signed with the Sacramento Kings in free agency, expecting to help groom fifth-overall pick De'Aaron Fox.

When things took a wrong turn quickly, Cleveland swung a deal for Hill at the deadline and now the Cavs -- and Sexton specifically -- will reap the rewards.

Hill brings 11 years of experience. He's appeared in more than 100 playoff games. He learned from Tony Parker, became a Gregg Popovich favorite and has played in a variety of systems.

What fortune for Sexton to get to soak up that knowledge daily.

"Since day one it's been great, we're talking to each other, trying to figure out different things, playing alongside each other or just competing," Hill said. "He's a smart kid, has a lot of upside and we're going to take each day and try to do the best we can to win games. That's all that matters. No matter who's starting or who's coming off the bench, or who's playing and who's not, we're all going to be on the same page and learn from each other and have fun doing it.

"I always felt like the best thing to do is learn by throwing in the fire, learn by when you're out there playing. Like I told him, 'You're going to make mistakes, make them being aggressive. No one's perfect and you're not going to be perfect. Just play your game, you're young, you're a rookie, you're learning and they're putting you in this position for a reason.'"

This season is about turning the page. Not dwelling on the past. That starts with Sexton, who like Irving before him, represents a glimmer of hope during the dark days without LeBron.